Sustainability and Global Challenges

This book focuses on the relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the most important issues the world is facing is sustainability. All members of the United Nations adopted Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Associated with the SDGs are many serious global problems. These problems include climate change, global poverty, global hunger, human trafficking, homelessness, biodiversity, extinction, and terrorism. The author’s purpose is to develop a textbook concerning the SDGs and how they relate to these problems. A recent issue has emerged. That is Artificial Intelligence. AI has tremendous potential to do both good and harm. The book is designed in such a way that it can be used as an undergraduate textbook on sustainability. Consequently, the mathematics involved is kept at a reasonable level. One of the author’s goals is to prepare the reader to further their study of global issues. In particular, to provide them the background needed to examine the three books in the Springer Series Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, volumes 299, 353, and 391. Exercises are provided in the text as well as an instructor's manual. Some topics examined in the book include country achievement of the SDGs, the relationship between human trafficking and the SDGs, climate change, and global problems mentioned above.